Back40 News
Minutes before a web department production meeting, programmer Jon Fields challenged Neill Harmer, web production manager, to a game of hangman. Neill started off strong. He made some quick, smart choices consisting of the letters ‘E’ and ‘L,’ but the early rally soon turned disastrous. Everyone present (the whole company) agreed, it was pitiful to watch Neill flailing with poorly chosen consonants and vowels. And with every incorrect letter choice, Jon smugly drew another little stickman appendage on the giant whiteboard. In the end death came swiftly. More painful than hanging was the fact that Neill failed to recognize his own name as the answer to the puzzle.
Back40 Design’s first annual Bake-Off was a success–all submitted entries were judged edible! In a project, manager-vs.-salesperson knockdown, drag-out fight for best baking, bragging rights, Peyton Stovall’s, “No Bake Cookies,” defeated veteran baker, Donna Walker's,"Chocolate Chip Cookies." Donna did not take the defeat well. “It was a Walker family recipe, passed down the generations to me,” Donna explained. Peyton, the self-proclaimed “queen of take out,” was considered the dark horse in this competition and attributes the victory to following an internet recipe verbatim – and choosing a recipe that involves going no where near a stove.
In a related story, assistant editor and novice baker, Crystal Christensen, wins the “there are no stupid questions,” stupid baking question award. Her prize winning entry, “How can you use baking soda in a recipe, especially when it’s been sitting in the refrigerator open, absorbing odors? It doesn’t seem like it would taste very good.” Crystal’s prize? A second box of baking soda, one not for absorbing odors.
At a recent Back40 dinner at New World Cuisine, Julie Lulla Brahas, Edmond Outlook salesperson, opened her menu, shut her menu and exclaimed, “I know what I’m having!” We learned that Julie has the ability to order her meal in less than 5 seconds by scanning for ingredients. “I saw cream cheese, so I know what I am having! I have a weakness for food made with cream cheese. And I also like pecans. If I would have seen something with pecans in it first, I would have ordered that.” Check back next month when Julie tells us about her aversion of eating meat off the bone.
